


I think I'm in Love

by SailorLestrade



Category: Dancing with the Stars (US) RPF, Olympics RPF, Swimming RPF
Genre: Cute, Dancing, Engagement, First Meetings, Fluff, Love, M/M, Sweet, True Love, pr girlfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-15 02:32:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8038993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorLestrade/pseuds/SailorLestrade
Summary: Ryan and Michael meet for the first time and it changes their lives.





	I think I'm in Love

The first time they saw each other, Ryan was making a fool of himself in front of his friends about peeing in the pool. They all laughed, making Ryan smile, but the awkward teenage boy over in the corner with his iPod in hand wasn’t laughing. Ryan didn’t even bother, didn’t give him a second glance, until they were in the locker room afterwards. Just the two of them.

“You know they’re laughing at you, not with you, right?” The taller and awkward boy said to Ryan. He looked up at him from where he was tying his lime green shoes.

“What do you mean? Of course they’re laughing with me!” Ryan said. The boy shook his head.

“I got made fun of enough to know when they’re laughing at you and when they’re laughing with you.” He shut his locker.

“Who do you think you are?” Ryan asked, running his fingers through his long hair.

“I’m the guy you’re going to see in front of you while we’re racing.” He said with a wink before he started to leave. “I’m Michael Phelps.” Ryan’s eyes widened. He had heard stories about the human dolphin from the University of Michigan. But this was not the guy he expected. “See you around Lochte.” He left then, leaving Ryan sitting on the bench in the middle of the locker room, a blush spreading on his face. One of Ryan’s friends set by him on the bench.

“Dude, you look like a man who just saw the love of his life.” He laughed, slapping Ryan on the back. Ryan shook his head and smiled at his friend.

“Nah man. You know me. I’m Ryan Lochte. I don’t have time for love.” His friend smiled.

“Come on. They got us beer at one of the houses. And I don’t know about you, but I plan to use it wisely.” Ryan nodded and followed him out, Michael Phelps drifting to the back of his mind.

****

That was until they competed again. Phelps was good, he was damn good. Better than Lochte thought he should be. It was Athens and Ryan really should’ve done his research before he bet Devon that he would wipe the floor with this kid. He didn’t win by much, but it was enough to show the difference between silver and gold. They had raced together during practice, but Ryan didn’t take those seriously. So he thought Michael was just getting lucky.

“Dude! Phelps schooled you!” He could hear Devon say in the back of his head. But looking over at that nineteen year old, he didn’t feel defeated. He was happy for him. He had earned the right to win more than Ryan had. He had competed in the Olympics at the age of fifteen. Ryan, on the other hand, had been training, chasing girls, and sneaking beers for him and his friends.

“Lochte, they’re asking for you to go stand by Phelps.” Someone said to him, he wasn’t sure who though. He just walked over, accepted the laurel on his head and the bouquet in his hand. He felt Michael’s hand around his waist as they posed for pictures with Bovell. 

Okay, maybe he did like Michael, but it sure wasn’t love.

****

“Dude, what did you do to your hair?” Michael asked as they met at the airport to fly to China for a goodwill mission. Some other athletes were already over there, but Michael had opted to wait for his friend, who was never much good at getting anywhere on time.

“This?” Ryan asked, touching his shorter locks. “I just thought I’d try something new. Don’t worry, it’ll be long before we actually compete again. It’s my good luck charm.” Ryan chuckled. Michael smiled at him.

“It doesn’t look bad. Just not use to see your face without hair in front of it.” Michael started to head to the gate, missing the blush on Ryan’s face.

That trip was very eventful. Michael made Ryan laugh like no one ever could. And Ryan realized for sure then that he was in love with Michael Phelps. At least, he thought he was.

****

Beijing came and went. Ryan walked away with two gold and two bronze. He was pretty proud of himself, but he had to be prouder of Michael, who walked away with eight gold. The athletes all stood for pictures with their medals, and it was obvious who the big winner was.

“They’re gonna snap your neck Goldfish.” Ryan laughed as he helped Michael adjust his medals. Michael just smiled some.

“Where did we get the nickname Goldfish from?” Michael asked.

“Well, no normal human being should be able to swim like that.” Ryan said, looking into his eyes and blushing some. Michael noticed this time but didn’t say anything.

“Hey, after this, wanna go grab a drink with me?” Michael asked. “A victory celebration before the closing ceremonies?”

“Sure.” Ryan didn’t have anything better to do and was actually planning on getting a drink or two anyway. “I’m game.”

****

The night ended with a flash of lips and hands rubbing on each other’s backs in the room they were sharing at the athlete’s village. Michael wanting control and Ryan letting him. Ryan didn’t think that this was how the night was going to end, falling into bed with the man everyone thought was his rival. But he fucking loved it.

****

Ryan’s hair just got longer as they continued on their tour of winning medals and gaining sponsors. But when Michael got in trouble, Ryan was right there for him. They didn’t admit that they were together, that they were just there for each other when they needed some release, but they were friends long before that. And Ryan was there to hold Michael when he couldn’t handle his own mind.

“It’s okay.” Ryan whispered softly, rubbing Michael’s back. “I still love you.” Michael looked up at him.

“You love me?” He asked. Ryan got jittery and nervous then.

“Uh…uh yes?” Michael smiled and pulled him to him, kissing him.

“I love you too Doggy.” Michael said with a smile for the first time in a long time.

****

When Michael had left for practice that morning, Ryan still had long hair. But when Ryan showed up at practice, late of course, with short hair, Michael had to fight the urge to drag him to the locker room and have his way with him. Ryan looked so much older with his cropped cut. He didn’t act any older, but that would just have to be fixed with time.

“What happened to your good luck charm?” Michael asked as they got ready for their stretching. Bob already wasn’t happy that Ryan was late. He didn’t know how they ran things in Gainsville, but at his gym, things were different.

“I think it’s already brought me all the luck it could.” He smirked and bumped Michael’s hand, their public version of a kiss. Everyone just thought they were two bros, not two boyfriends.

****

“Ryan, we need to talk.” Michael said during halftime of the game they were watching. Ryan looked over at him, already feeling a little nervous. Ryan had accidentally came out during an interview months ago, and people had taken several different sides on it. Michael had been supportive of him at the time. “My PR, they have something set up for me. A girlfriend.”

“W-what? Why?” Ryan asked.

“They want me to come across as the All-American male. Women and kids and all that jazz.” He sighed. “I’m not breaking up with you, I promise, but Nicole will have to spend time with me so that the world things that I’m completely and totally hetero…”

“Oh…” Ryan said. He stood up. “I, I need some air…” He ran out the door before Michael could stop him. He ran to the cold beach down the road from Michael home and set there shivering until Michael finally found him hours later. Michael set by him and draped a University of Michigan sweatshirt over his shoulders.

“You know I still love you, right?” Michael asked. Ryan nodded slowly. “Just because she’s going to be in the picture doesn’t mean anything. And maybe soon, it’ll be you and me again.” He held out his hand for a bump, which Ryan eventually did in return.

****

Ryan messed up. He knew he did. But he was hoping that the dancing would start to make up for it. Michael had messed up to, letting it out that Nicole and Boomer were a stunt and he was actually gay. While he did have love for Boomer and he liked Nicole like a sister, they weren’t really his family. There was a big media storm that started to cover up Rio for Ryan, which he was thankful for. Everyone figured out that Ryan and Michael were a thing just by the way they acted with each other.

So it was really no surprise that Michael was in the audience when Ryan and Cheryl danced to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston. They finished their dance and the judges started to talk, but Carrie Ann smiled knowingly.

“Before we give our scores, we have an extra special guest.” She said, making everyone in the audience look at each other. Ryan and Cheryl looked at each other, confused. The crowd started to cheer then as Michael Phelps came onto the dance floor.

“Mike? What are you doing?” Ryan asked. Michael smiled at him.

“Ever since we met, I knew that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.” Everyone awed then. “You were so cute with your long hair and cute smile. I knew I wanted to be with you forever. So that’s why, on live television, I’m asking you, Ryan Steven Lochte, if you will marry me.” He knelt down in front of Ryan, who was a little in shock.

“Of course Goldfish.” Ryan said with a smile. Michael jumped up and slid an elegant band on his finger. Ryan held out his hand to give him a bump, but Michael just grabbed it and pulled him to him.

“Not this time.” He laughed before kissing him deeply, making the crowd cheer.

“Now, we’ll get the judges scores for the dance and for the proposal!” Ryan blushed and held Michael’s hand while Cheryl stood off to the side of them. Ryan could even hear the scores. He was too happy to care about anything. He could be kicked off the show right then and there and be happy. He had everything he had ever wanted. Life was finally turning his way.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment!!!


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